Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced on Twitter today that after serving 14 years, she will not seek re-election next year.
“I still have much work to do on many important issues, and I will continue to give my best to the people of Illinois and the Office of Attorney General every day through the end of my term in January 2019," her statement reads.
Madigan, Democrat, is the daughter of the powerful and longest-serving state House speaker in the nation, Michael Madigan.
“As I look ahead, I believe that the end of my fourth term as Attorney General will be the right time for me to seek a new challenge. I have dedicated my career to helping people. That will continue to be my focus, and I am looking forward to finding new ways to do that with the passion that I have brought to my work as Attorney General."
Among accomplishments she notes in her announcement are recovering funds for homeowners, communities and pension funds from the mortgage crisis; helping identity theft victims; enforcing environmental laws; strengthening Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act laws and initiating the investigation of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
On the political front, last month Urbana attorney and former Miss America Erika Harold, Republican, announced her bid for state AG.
The Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) issued a statement today suggesting Harold's candidacy is the reason for Madigan's decision not to seek re-election.
"Today's announcement is a clear indication of what we've know for months: Erika Harold is an exceptionally strong candidate," reads the statement attributed to RAGA chair and Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge.
"So strong, in fact, that Lisa Madigan has decided she doesn't want to run a campaign for re-election.
"Erika Harold will be an incredible attorney general for Illinois. She will lead the fight against public corruption and bring integrity to the Attorney General's office. We're excited for this new open-seat opportunity and look forward to defeating whichever Democrat the Madigan machine decides to run in 2018."